12+Sansom

Urban development is a delicate balancing act, and sometimes we must say goodbye to cherished local destinations in order to make way for a plan that is ultimately more beneficial to the community and to the city at large. One of such trade-offs is slated to occur at 7619 Germantown Avenue in Mount Airy, Northwest Philadelphia, where the Trolley Car Diner is set to meet the wrecking ball, to be replaced by a six-story, mixed-use residential development designed by Morrissey Design. Although the charming chrome, neon, mural, and freestanding trolley of the diner will be missed, the proposal at hand makes for more effective use of the site, bringing significant residential density within a two0-block walk of the Mount Airy Station of the SEPTA Regional Rail and replacing the auto-centric restaurant with pedestrian-friendly retail.

Permits have been issued for the construction of a three-story, four-unit rowhouse at 2516 North 6th Street in North Philadelphia East. The structure will replace a portion of a large vacant lot on the east side of the block between West Cumberland Street and West Huntingdon Street. Designed by Plato Marinakos, Jr. of Plato Studio, the structure will span 5,271 square feet and will feature a basement and two roof decks extending for a total of 967 square feet. Permits list Yona Construction as the contractor and specify a construction cost of $700,000.